


"My Lover is Evil" Support Group

by charmedtomeetyou



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 01:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4460603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charmedtomeetyou/pseuds/charmedtomeetyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the midst of Emma terrorizing Storybrooke as the Dark Swan, Killian gets a blast from his own past - it turns out his brother Liam wasn’t killed by the Dreamshade, just changed - into the vampire Angelus, that is. Angel and his somewhat-girlfriend Buffy come to town to meet Killian and end up have a life-altering meeting with the Dark Swan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"My Lover is Evil" Support Group

Back when he and Liam were in the Navy together, he recognized they had much in common; though, perhaps that was more about his own attempt at emulating his valiant older brother than it was about them naturally being similar.

After he’d given in the darkness, the vengeance, he saw how truly _different_ the fibers of their beings had been woven – Liam would never have turned to piracy. Liam wouldn’t have run off with a married woman (no matter how taken he was with her). And Liam wouldn’t have made the quest of his life the destruction of another, even if that man were the Dark One who had stolen his love of a decade. Liam had been pure light.

And in all technicality this did remain a fact, despite the jarring tale Killian had been regaled with moments before.

As it turns out, Liam himself _was_ a great man, a good soul – when he was purely human. Then that soul was _taken_ from him and a demon took up residence in his body. Liam became _Angelus_ , the vampire with the angel’s face. He took to terrorizing innocents for a century or so before one of his grander misdeeds landed him with a returned soul, a _conscience_ , in addition to the memories of the horrible things he’d done. Those were his darkest days, Liam – _Angel_ – recalled, the ones _after_ he’d been cursed with his soul yet _before_ he found light and hope in his life that he could start to matter, maybe start fighting for the good guys.

So, true, he and his brother really _did_ have a lot in common.

The most _striking_ commonality, though, was probably their taste in saviors: gorgeous lasses with pale skin and blonde hair, fiery, no-nonsense attitudes, and zero desire to be saved by anyone, especially by leather jacket-wearing old men with handsome faces. The Jones brothers – they apparently were wired to love women who could save the whole damn world.

It was Buffy who’d found Killian, who had finally gotten enough information from the Watchers’ Diaries to piece together the rest of Angel’s history – who he’d been before he became a vampire.

_Vampire_.

Killian thought the dreamshade had killed his brother, when really it had simply morphed him into something else. _If only he hadn’t been so consumed for those 300 years, perhaps the brothers would have found each other sooner_.

“Oh, will you two stop having a brood-fest!” Buffy yelled, the brothers both clearly lost in thought. She was adorable, despite her ability to snap every bone in Killian’s body quicker than he could flinch. She wasn’t the only Slayer anymore, not since she awakened them all when she closed California’s Hellmouth. So she finally had some quiet moments to spend with Angel. She’d insisted she could reconnect him with the brother he thought he’d lost whom she’d realized was, indeed, the famous Captain Hook. By the time Angel’s soul was restored, the brother he’d left behind should have been long dead (if not for the magics of Neverland). And Liam – _Angel_ – had heard tales of the pirate (like everyone had), but even if so much time had not passed, he still wouldn’t have believed that man was his ~~little~~ younger brother.

“Seriously guys, did I turn invisible again? Because that really would be my luck – ” Buffy continued, more to herself than to Angel or Killian.

“My apologies, lass. I was simply thinking. Brother, I suppose we’ve been rude enough to your … lady friend.” (He really wasn’t sure what his brother’s relation with the Slayer was. They were clearly in love, but he wasn’t entirely sure hwhat to label their relationship, considering the obstacles. His immortality (when she continued to age) was one thing, but his inability to properly _love_ her without once again losing his soul… that seemed insurmountable.

“Shall we have some rum? Do some catching up?”

“God, could you _be_ any more Jack Sparrow? I thought you’d be at least _kind of_ original. As Captain Hook, I mean. As Angel’s brother, I guess I mostly expected you’d be _dead_ , not living in Maine.” The short blonde rolled her eyes animatedly, incredulous about the (admittedly ridiculous) turn of events. His Swan would love her.

_His_ Swan would. Not the one who was currently loose in the streets of Storybrooke. The Dark Swan. _She_ would probably use Liam’s newfound status as (half?) alive to torment Killian. If Angel’s heart wasn’t beating, she probably couldn’t rip it from his chest and control him. Or destroy him. But Buffy… _Buffy_ she could kill. Without remorse.

He was there (begging her to _stop_ ) when she’d leveled Granny’s, killing three dwarves. She had _known_ them and she still didn’t care. She wouldn’t blink to use Buffy against him and his brother.

At this point, Killian hadn’t yet had a chance to relay the true nature of his situation to his brother and Buffy. Their initial reunion had been first so tentative, both of the brothers not quite believing that the other of them was real. It quickly morphed into pure _joy_ , of course. They laughed and cried and thanked all the Gods they could think of that somehow they’d found each other _centuries_ later and _realms_ apart. They had, of course, poked some fun at one another, Killian criticizing Liam for losing his accent (and for consciously deciding to keep the _Angel_ moniker after the demon inside him had been subdued). Angel took it in stride, mocking Killian for never quite growing as tall as him and for the appearance of his Disney counterpart (“I don’t see how that one could possibly be my fault, mate, they’d gotten it so wrong!” Killian had said).

But the brooding had set in as soon as the brothers had started recounting their tales in more detail, had started to expose one another to the depths of darkness to which each of them had sunk.

All Killian had wanted was to make his older brother proud. And in many ways he _had_ , having ultimately overcome the darkness and turned hero (just like him). But both of them seemed to be suffocating under the weight of all they’d done, drowning in the guilt of not being able to save one another.

Buffy was getting impatient, clearly growing tired of her almost-lover’s all-too-common dark mood. She was opening her mouth, probably to say something snarky or mood lightening, when Killian stopped her. It was time he come clean about the dangers they were facing by being in Storybrooke.

The danger that was his girlfriend.

“Lass, I’d appreciate if you’d share some rum with my brother and I here while I finish telling my tale. You see, while _I_ may be out of the darkness, there still remain dangers in my life, ones you’re unfortunately exposed to now as well.”

“Ooooh, danger? Point me toward it. I could use delivering a good ass-kicking. It would relieve some tension.” Buffy bounced in anticipation, her world-saving instincts strong. Killian handed her his flask after taking a swig himself. She took a long gulp and passed it to his brother.

“Strong as you may be, love, I think this situation is a bit more complicated,” Killian replied.

“Oh come on!” Angel cut in. “We’ve got a Slayer, a vampire, and the most cutthroat pirate to ever sail the seas. What exactly can’t we face?”

“Well, brother, considering the sun rises in approximately one hour, your help is sorely _useless_.” Killian rolled his eyes, still reeling that his brother was a creature he hadn’t truly known was _real_ yet (this must be how Emma felt back in the Enchanted Forest, huh?). “In addition, the threat harnesses the most powerful magics of all time – light and dark together…”

“I’ll call Willow! She’ll knock the bastard right on his ass and –”

Killian cut the Slayer off. “And she’s my girlfriend. The threat. I love her. More than anything. But she’s not _her_ right now.” Killian trailed off, choking up a bit. This had been his reality for some weeks now; Emma had taken on the darkness over a month ago and succumbed to the darkness only a week or so after. But somehow the weight of sharing this information with his brother and somewhat sister-in-law was just _too much_.

Tears threatened to fall from the corners of his eyes as Buffy’s sassy demeanor washed away. She approached him slowly, bringing her palm to rest on his cheek.

“You Jones men. You’re just alike, you know that?”

Killian looked her in the eyes, confused at her comparison. “Did the love of his life go super evil or something, too?”

Angel chuckled at that, a lighter sound that was so very _Liam_. “No, brother. I was the one to go super evil on _her_.”

Buffy took Killian’s hand in her own as Angel explained the rest of their story, the bump in the road that occurred even after Angel had found his hope again. They’d mentioned before the whole _sex with Buffy would make him lose his soul_ bit, but Killian hadn’t put together that the rule had probably been _broken_ in order for it to have been discovered at all.

“He killed my favorite teacher. And posed her body in her boyfriend’s bed. And her murdered countless innocent people. He taunted me, threatened me. He wasn’t there. The demon that wore his face was destroying me,” Buffy explained.

“Lass, I know the feeling,” Killian replied sadly, squeezing her hand.

They told him the unfortunate ending of that particular tale, that Buffy had been forced to kill him even with his soul restored, because the demon in him had tried to suck the whole world to Hell. That didn’t seem to be Emma’s wish, by any means, but her actions were no less life-ruining when it pertained to Killian.

“How did you come back?” Killian asked Angel softly, knowing that there was even more _pain_ to the story.

“Evil. Evil brought me back. Thought I would make a good soldier on their side.” Angel rolled his eyes and then locked gazes with Buffy. “It wasn’t a fairy tale, but it worked out.”

Tears fell down Killian’s face as he leaned into Buffy’s shoulder. “I need her back. I can’t – I just… she and her boy, they’re my whole life now. They’re the first family I’ve had in centuries, brother. I can’t lose this.”

The three of them were silent for a long stretch of time. They’d all been through enough to know that platitudes like _everything will be OK_ were empty and useless.

After a time, Buffy finally spoke. “Well we’ve got great timing, huh? Our lives are fluffy and easy and we roll into your little storybook town just in time for the world’s greatest evil?” She turned to Angel. “Honey, it’s like old times!”

“Buffy, you need to get out of here. She’ll use Liam against me if she knows. She’ll hurt him. Or you. I have to get you out of here.” He knew how this could end. Emma would never forgive herself, the _real_ Emma, if she hurt anyone Killian loved. He couldn’t lose his brother and he couldn’t let his Emma live with it if he did.

Angel opened his mouth to speak, but Killian cut him off, chaneling his best _Hook_. “You will leave this town immediately and that is an _order_. I’m a Captain now, brother, and I’m fated to be a _King_ and you will _trust_ that I know what’s best.”

Buffy tried to interrupt their man-glares – probably to try to explain all the horrible things they’d overcome before – but Angel did the unthinkable.

He agreed with Killian.

“He knows what’s best, sweetheart. Why don’t we head back to Cleveland, look for some trouble there?” He smiled conspiratorially at her, and Killian was overcome with happiness and sadness all at once – happiness for his brother being alive and _well_ , but sadness for the barriers each of them still faced, forced to be so close yet so far from the women they loved.

 

After just a bit more convincing, Buffy finally allowed Killian to escort them to the town line. Emma’s powers wouldn’t work beyond that, so he knew they’d be safe if only he could get them there without the Dark Swan detecting their presence.

The _Now Leaving Storybrooke_ sign was in full view – they were _so_ close – when he heard the crack of thunder, saw the bright lightning, felt the humming, tinkling sound alerting him of the presence of his diamond-coated almost-True-Love.

“Killian, baby, I never took you for the _ménage a trois_ kind,” her voice, now so child-like, rang out just behind him. Their backs were still to her and he looked over to Buffy and Angel, nodding his head at them in silent agreement: _remember:_ _do not tell her who you are_.

But as soon as they turned, the Dark Swan gasped, jumped up and down, waved her black feather-draped sleeves through the air. Her pale skin shone even brighter as she approached the pair, the recognition in her eyes jarring. _She’s all powerful. Of course she can sense familial relation._

Killian held his breath for the tragedy that he was surely about to witness.

Three.

Two.

One.

“ _I can’t believe you’re real!_ ” Emma squealed, sweeping over to Buffy, a trail of diamonds littering the pavement in her wake.

Buffy’s eyes went wide. “Yep, I’m flesh and blood. Not a fairy tale character, though. Sorry! We’ll leave you to your… villainy? Lovely outfit, by the way. Better than Willow’s leather, for sure. We were just on our way out.”

“This is so much cooler than any fucking fairy tale. I _cannot_ believe that _Buffy_ is _real_! I knew Joss Whedon didn’t make that shit up himself.” Her eyes finally trailed over Liam’s face.” Oh, god. Oh, _god_! Angel! You were my first love, you know. And now you’re right here, in my little town. Holy fucking _shit._ ”

Killian usually found Emma’s dirty mouth adorable, but her baby-talk voice made it _painful_ , wrong. He’d do anything to save her from herself, but he still couldn’t think of a single thing.

Emma brought her fingers to Buffy’s face, trailing them across her check and down her neck, finally bringing her hand to rest on Buffy’s collarbone. She leaned in to whisper, but made sure it was loud enough for Killian to hear. “I’ll share if you will.”

The Dark Swan licked her lips, invading Buffy’s personal space seductively. Killian cringed.

“If I don’t get him, neither do you,” Buffy commented, seemingly to briefly forget their dire situation in favor of her own glib humor.

“That part’s real, too? You still can’t be together?” Emma gasped, understanding Buffy’s implications. “No, that simply will not do,” she sang, reminiscent of the tone of the cartoon _Snow White_ that Henry had made him watch. “What’s the point of having _all_ the powers of light and dark if I can’t do what I _want_ with it?” Emma purred, approaching Angel.

“I’m not sure what you plan to do, witch, but I’d appreciate it if I lived to see tomorrow,” Angel snapped. Killian realized the sun would rise soon. If Emma didn’t release them soon, he was certainly in danger of burning to death, and Killian couldn’t watch him die. Not again.

“Oh, I’ll do you one better, baby. I’m going to give you your happy ending. If you’ll let me, of course.”

Behind her Killian growled, still worried for the Dark Swan’s plans. Hearing his reaction, she turned to face him. “Be a good boy and I’ll give you a totally different kind of _happy ending_ later,” she promised, smirking.

“Yuck. Too much information, blondie,” Buffy groaned.

“Quiet, _Buff_ , I’m doing you a _favor_ here. Emma loved your boy. And _you_. And she wants you to be happy. So shut up and take it,” the Dark Swan whined before thrusting her hand through Angel’s chest. He grunted as she snatched his heart from the protection of his rib cage.

Emma didn’t often speak of herself in the third person, but Killian got the notion that, like his brother had been subdued by the demon inside him, his Emma was also buried by the darkness – not _ruined_ by it. _She_ was in there, somewhere beneath the evil he saw in her eyes at that moment.

She toyed with Angel’s heart, gray and sagging from disuse, letting it fall from one hand to the other.

When she locked eyes with Buffy, the ground started to shake. Emma’s smirk grew into a full toothy grin, equally sweet and menacing, as she squeezed Angel’s heart, causing it to glow deep red. The wind began whipping and lightning was crashing and the diamonds cascading from Emma’s form filled the sky before an explosion emanated from Emma’s hands.

Silence fell for one _very long_ second before the only sound was a loud, steady beat.

The beat of Liam’s heart.

Killian had felt its final beat, centuries ago when the Dreamshade had overtaken him. And now it had started up again, courtesy of his evil true love.

_What had his life become?_

Emma gently nudged the glowing, beating heart back into Angel’s chest and he gasped as soon as it was in place, taking his first true breath in centuries. It appeared to _burn_ but he smiled, looking between Killian and Buffy with joy.

“I’m _alive_!” he exclaimed, glancing back to Emma with confusion.

Emma’s hard façade broke, just for a second, and her whole body doubled over in what looked to be deep pain.

Killian ran to her side, but she held up a hand, warning him to stay back.

“Please _go_. Buffy, Angel… Go be happy. Please, please, _please_. I need someone’s story to end happily,” Emma whimpered – in her own voice. “Please.”

It was _Emma_ speaking, not the Dark Swan. His Swan had broken through.

Tears began to form, falling down in hard diamonds onto her black corseted dress. “Please, Buffy. Let this one story end happily.”

A sob broke from her chest and Killian sank to his knees, understanding her meaning. _Let her favorite story end happily… because she knew hers wouldn’t_.

(By the Gods, let her be wrong about that one.)

Buffy recognized the crack in her personality, sensed the Dark Swan might change her mind at any moment. Killian saw it in her eyes as she sprinted over to him.

“Take this,” she said, swiftly removing the ring from her right hand ring finger. He recognized it quickly – a Claddagh ring: two hands holding a crowned heart, symbolizing loyalty, friendship, and _love_. “This brought him back to me. It’ll bring her back to you, too.”

Buffy slipped the ring into Killian’s hand and collected her now-breathing almost-boyfriend, sprinting toward the town line while Emma held her body in place.

She locked eyes with Killian for the briefest second, her face filled with a thousand apologies. With seemingly the last bit of energy _his_ Emma could manage, she flicked her wrist and sent him back to the relative safety of his cabin, far away from the Dark Swan about to take over her body once again.

 

The sun was rising on a new day, a day in which his brother was living, was _actually alive and breathing_. His Emma was still lost to him (for now), but he’d seen her break through. She was still beneath the darkness. She could still win.

Buffy had gotten Liam – _Angel_ – to come back to her.

He looked down at the ring he now carried in his pocket.

He’d get his Swan to come back to him, too.

She’ll be mortified to find out her first TV crush (yes, he asked Henry to look it up on the non-magical electronic boxes so he now understands the saga of Buffy and Angel) is, in fact, her True Love’s older brother.

And, oh, how he can’t wait to see Emma and Buffy, sharing ass-kicking tales and mocking their Jones men.

(He does fantasize of them training together, but that’s just a whole different thing.)

It’s enough to give him hope.

She’ll come back to him.

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, that's right. Even evil Emma is a fangirl at heart who just wants her OTP to end up together. Dark One powers for the WIN.


End file.
